Stringed musical instrument



R. F, SURRTT.

STRINGED MUSICAL NSTRUMENT.

APPLICAUON FILED NEUF/|1919.

SHO-mwa:

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

ROBERT F. SURRATT, OF SYLVATUS, VIRGINIA, ASSIGNOR 0F ONE-HALF TO JOHN D. CALLAHAN, 0F SYLVATUS, VIRGINIA.

STRINGED MUSICAL INSTRUMENT.

Application filed May 3, 1919.

.To @ZZ whom t may concern.'

Be it known that I, ROBERT F. SURRATT, a citizen oi' the United States, residing at Sylvatus, in the county oi Carroll and State oi' Virginia, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Stringed Musical Instruments, of which the following is specification, reference being had to the accompanying drawings.

This invention relates to certain improvements in stringed musical instruments, and it is an object oi' the invention to provide a novel and improved device oi this general character which is particularly adapted to be played to create a series oi' chords in any desired harmonious sequence.

It is also an object of the invention to provide a novel and improved device ot this general character including a body or sound box having a bar overlying a face of the box or body with the major portion ot' said neck or bar spaced therefrom and wherein the playing end portion of the neck or bar has an opening therethrough disposed in a direction substantially at right angles to the adjacent face or belly of the box or body in order to increase the desired resonance.

An additional object of the invention is to provide a novel and improved stringed musical instrument wherein the playing neck or bar is disposed entirely across a ltace of a sound box or body and spaced from the box or body throughout the major part of the overlying portion of the neck or bar and wherein a sound post is fitted between the box or body and the neck or bar at substantially the center of the box or body.

The invention consists in the details of construction and in the combination and arrangement of the several parts of my improved stringed musical instrument whereby certain important advantages are attained and the device rendered simpler, less expensive and otherwise more convenient and advantageous for use, as will be hereinafter more fully set forth.

The novel features of my invention will hereinafter be denitely claimed.

In order that my invention may be the better understood, I will now proceed to describe the same with reference to the accompanying drawings, wherein:

Figure l is a view in side elevation of a Specication of Letters Patent.

Patented Jan. 4. 1921.

serial No. 294,379. l

stringed musical instrument constructed in accordance with an embodiment of my in vention. l

Fig. 2 is a view in top plan ot' the instru ment as illustrated in Fig. 1, an opening .in the back face of the box or body being indicated by dotted lines, and I Fig. 3 is a sectional view taken substantially on the lin(` 3 3 of Fig. 2.

As disclosed in the accompanying drawings, B denotes a sound box or body prei erably elongated and having` its side walls converging in opposite directions from a point substantially midway of the body B.

The top wall or face 1 ot the bot y B ad- ;iacent an end thereof has produced therein the transversely spaced j holes 2. The bottom wall 3 of the body or box B at a point substantially midway between the holes is provided with the star opening f1.

Extending longitudinally of the body B and overlying` the top plate or face 1 thereof at substantially its transverse center is the playing neck or bar N. The bar or neck N is of a length greater than the length of the box or body B and extends beyond the opposite ends thereof, one extended portion 5 constituting a. head and the opposite extended portion 6 constituting a tail.

The portion of the neck or bar N between the head 5 and tail portion 6 throughout substantially its entire length is spaced from the adjacent face or plate 1 of the box or body B and said neck or bar N is secured to the body B by the oppositely directed ears 7 carried by said neck or bar N and suitably anchored to the box or body B by the screws 8 or the like.

The head 5 is provided with a'pocket 9 which is intersected by the tuning keys 10. Engaged with each of the keys 10 is a string 11 which extends longitudinally of the neck or bar N and passes over the nut 12 at the head end portion of the neck or bar N and the bridge 14 adjacent the tail portion 6 and secured to the tail plate 15.

The tail plate 15 overlies the tail portion 6 and is held thereto by the screw 16 or the like. The inner end portion of the tail plate 15 is substantially in contact with the bridge 14, although this is not necessary under all conditions. rI`he tail plate 15 is provided with a transversely disposed opening 17 to aiord means vwhereby each of the strings ll may be conveniently and eilectively secured to said plate l5.

The upper surface or face of the neck or bar N at the head end portion thereof is provided with a plurality of suitably spaced frets 18 to facilitate the playing of the instrument.

Snugly iitting between the neck or bar N and the box or body B at substantially the center of the box or body B is a post 19 and which post is preferably maintained in desired position by glue or other suitable adhesive.

ln practice I find it of advantage to have the back and belly of the body B about one eighth of an inch thick with the side Walls substantially one sixth of an inch thick. The various openings 2, et and 20 are of t ie proportions particularly illustrated in Fig. 2, and which figure is substantially a oneiifth reduction of an actual instrument.

The picking or playing end portion of the neck or bar N has disposed therethrough an opening 20 substantially at right angles to the top face or plate l and which opening serves to materially increase the resonance.

My improved stringed musical instrument is particularly adapted to be played to create chords in desired sequence, and in playing the instrument an elongated mem* ber of celluloid or any other desired material is employed to properly depress the strings 1]. While a picker of conventional type is drawn across the strings at the playin@ end portion of the neck or bar N.

't is obvious that my invention is susceptible of some change and modification Without departing from the principles and spirit thereof and for this reason do not Wish to be understood as limiting myself to the precise arrangement and formation of the several parts herein shown in carrying out my invention in practice except as hereinafter claimed.

I claim:

A stringed instrument comprising an elongated sound box7 the width of the intermediate portion of the top and bottom Walls of said box being greater than the Width of the ends of said Walls, the top Wall of said box having openings, a bar extending lonffitudinally of the box and supported adjacent its ends upon the ends of the top Wall of the box, the end portions of said bar projecting beyond the ends of the box, a post disposed centrally of the Widest portion of the upper Wall of the box and beneath the bar in engagement therewith, said bar having an opening disposed adjacent the openings in the top Wall of the box.

In testimony whereof I hereunto aflix my signature in the presence of two Witnesses.

FLOYD QUESENBERRY. KnNNiL Summ'rr. 

